Do not ignore warning signs and adopt strategies to combat stress-induced issues
Karoshi was a successful Japanese entrepreneur, educated at the Lakeland College and the International University of Japan, who possessed a Midas touch and magically amassed trillions of Yen. As a youngster he was fearless, but soon his mind gave way to the lucre of money; indulging in forbidden activities, he perilously ignored the tenets of Shinto and soon succumbed to Karoshi.
Karoshi is a Japanese word that signifies sudden death by cardiac arrest or stroke, triggered by overwork. “The present moment is inevitable,” is a sutra that has been articulated by several enlightened Masters. Only by living in the present moment can an individual annihilate the cobwebs of fear and stress which mushroom in the mind. It is prudent to live and traverse purposefully and mindfully, rather than think about the past or the future and lose track in the Byzantine labyrinths and consequently misplace precious peace of mind.It should not be forgotten that the Japanese entrepreneur became deceitful and snuffed out his life. Stress over a period acquires a negative connotation. However, some high-end achievers rekindle their passion to excel in high-pressure conditions.
Tension or stress in these individuals increases tautness or stretch in the mind, which makes them deliver on the world stage. Even if they are girdled with negative emotions, their minds are robust and resolute enough not to capitulate and instead blossom like a lotus in a lake that is otherwise overflowing, and live in the present moment to accomplish their Holy Grail. Those not blessed with such an attitude flounder while clambering to the summit and accumulate stress due to the constraints and demands they face.
This occurs when high expectations do not match with the desired results. In an organisational setup, an excellent performance review normally triggers a jump in emoluments or even a promotion, while a below-par presentation review may be interpreted as a lackadaisical performance which can even amount to being fired from the placement. An organisation is akin to an organism which has its limitations and can lead to intriguing situations.
An employee can also suffer from family, economic or personality misadventures which may disorient his performance and thus result in a tardy result. Many times privation of an adequate social support system or hostility and perceived malevolence of co-workers affect the performance of employees and thereby lead to stressful situations.
The tragic consequences of such situations are dangerous as they often lead to physiological disorders like migraines, insomnia, spondylitis, diabetes, obesity, infertility, and hypertension/hypotension which can result in cardiac problems or strokes.
Dreaded psychological symptoms can also arise in the form of anxiety, depression, and diminishing interest in the job at hand, which leads to enormous vexation. They are a demotivated set of personnel whose productivity is singularly low and the organisation is plagued by a high percentage of absenteeism and turnover. Organisations need to follow a two-pronged strategy to win the problem. Actuate the employees by offering suitable apertures and resort to mid-course corrections by stimulating the mind through proper time management, prioritising activities, rescheduling work, and offering packages of mental diversion.Alternatively, employers could set up gyms and swimming pools on the premises, which exhort employees to do physical exercise to soothe frayed nerves and undertake wellness programmes such as the Happiness Programme of the Art of Living or the Vipassana breathing techniques. Know your enemy, know yourself and you can fight a hundred battles without disaster,” wrote Sun Tzu.
(The writer is the CEO of Chhattisgarh East Railway Ltd and is a faculty of the Art of Living. Views are personal)
